Police Beat 4/29/14: A nudist in the park, swords in the parish and a scamming clergyman

Last Friday, a man responded to an ad placed on Tulia.com about a house for rent at 810 Turner Trail. A man who went by the title of Reverend placed the ad.

The men exchanged texts and calls April 25-30, but never met face to face. The home had a “For Sale” sign in the yard and the listing agent told the potential tenant that the home was not for rent and this was most likely an attempted scam.

The Reverend claims to be in Virginia on missionary work, but was going to provide a bank account number, so the tenant could pay rental fees. The potential tenant was advised to cease all contact and let detectives do their work.

Indecent exposure at Cadron Settlement Park.

At about 6 p.m. Tuesday, an officer responded to a call from Cadron Settlement Park of a man walking around naked.

The officer found the man at the back of the park. While talking with the man, the officer noticed he had on small shorts with no underwear and his genitals were hanging out.

The officer told the man the police department had received several reports that he was seen walking around without any clothes on. The man said he wasn’t doing that and that he didn’t know what the officer was talking about.

The man said he wanted to know exactly what was said about him not wearing clothes, and the officer explaining again that several people called to report a man walking around the park naked.

The man seemed aggravated by the situation and said he was “just trying to get some sun — that is all.”

The man said the call must have come from a woman who offered him a beer. The officer told the man he was at a “family park and not a private nudist colony,” and that his actions were not allowed here.

The man said he understood, but also noted that his actions were acceptable in Houston, Texas. The officer looked at the man and said, “So you admit that you did walk around without your clothes on?”

The man looked at the officer then turned his head. The officer told him he wasn’t in Houston, Texas anymore. He was in Arkansas.

The man said he knew he was in Arkansas. He used to live here for 11 years, and he loved coming to this park. The officer asked the man when he had ever known this park to be clothing optional? The man said nothing, and later stated that he understood.

He was cited for having alcohol inside a city park and warned about not wearing clothes. Police advised him to leave the park area and he was asked not to come back.

Two swords found on 3rd Avenue.

Monday night at about 10 p.m., officers responded to an armed subject call at St. Joseph Church. Dispatch said a man was in the parish with a sword.

Officers made contact with a man at the door of the parish who said the man with the sword was sitting just inside the doors.

The man was sitting on a church pew with two swords, a backpack and a hat on the ground next to him. The man said he found the two swords on 3rd Avenue, and he went to the church to ask God what he should do with them. The man said he wanted to turn the swords over to the police department.

Pistol stealing at 1620 Middle Road Apt. 1603.

Late Tuesday night, a man and his girlfriend were moving things from their apartment when they left, leaving the front door unlocked.

When the man realized it was unlocked he called a neighbor to go downstairs and secure his Browning Mark 3 22’ caliber pistol. When the neighbor arrived the pistol was gone including the two loaded clips that were with it.

The neighbor said he saw the residents at apartment 1601 when he came downstairs. The officer spoke with the residents who both said they had not been out long and did not see anyone go inside the apartment.